I want to begin reading from the Psalms again. This time it is Psalm 127. Psalm 127. Here's God's Word. A song of a sense of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors, for he gives to his beloved even in his sleep. Behold, children are a gift of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward, like arrows in the hands of the warrior. We see the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Beloved congregation, the message of this psalm is the same message that is over and over again set forth in the scriptures. It is the message of Proverbs 3, verses 5 and 6, this way, quote, trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight. As the believing traveler made his ascent up to Jerusalem, he was reminded, as he sang this psalm, that the godly man trusts in the Lord for all things. The commentator, Mr. Plummer, gives us the general idea of this and of other psalms, some are like this, quote, the general aim of this ode is to repress wordly cares, and to inspire pious trust in God. Whether it was the believing traveler before the coming of the Messiah or the sight of God who is in the 25th century, the message is the same. O Beloved, as we make the arduous ascent up to the heavenly Jerusalem, we are reminded that we are to trust in Jehovah and not in our own abilities or labors. This evening we're looking at this text only in two heads. Number one, The encouragement to trust Yahweh. And secondly, the illustration of trusting Yahweh. Well, back again. Here is the first point again. The encouragement to trust Yahweh. Now we're looking in verses 1 and 2. The text tells us that we are to be aware of the vanity of human offert alone. Oh beloved, to understand this psalm, you have to understand first the background of this psalm. First of all, at the introduction of Psalm 27, the text says again, a song of ascents of Solomon. That tells us that this psalmist was Solomon. Further, this psalm was about the building of the Temple of Solomon. As the believing travelers were journeying, they would ascend up to the physical Jerusalem, and they would sing the psalm about the building of the Temple. Oh, beloved, this psalm was also about the building of any and every effort by Solomon and every effort even by Israel. Now, this psalm was also about the building of the spiritual temple. That is, it was about the building of the people of God. And so it was also about the building of the church. Then later, that psalm would be sung by those later believing travelers as they would ascend up to Jerusalem and they would apply that psalm to the building of Israel. Finally, that psalm must now be sung by every believer as we ascend up to the spiritual temple, that is, as we go up to that physical local church and as we travel up to that heavenly church. In the first two verses of this psalm, we hear the psalmist warning, warning against the vanity of trusting to any degree in any of our labors. This warning is that the psalmist gave us in verse 1-2 once more time again. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors. O Beloved, it is the same word that is the word vain in verse one. And there is the same thought that is presented again and again in the beginning chapters of the book of Ecclesiastes. in a person seeks meaning in wealth, meaning in possessions, meaning in learning, or meaning in everything other than in serving the Lord, he will discover at the end of his journey that as the preacher says in Ecclesiastes 1 verse 2, quote, vanity of vanity, says the preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanities. And this is also what the preacher said in Ecclesiastes in verse 1 through 14. And behold, all of sanity and striving after wind. Oh, beloved, whatever a man does in his own strength, that will ultimately be seen as empty, meaningless, and vain. This point is made in this psalm, for as the commentator Mr. Plummer says, quote, to build a house has in scripture these significations One, to erect a material structure for public or private use. Second, to build a house is to found and rear a family. Third, to build a house is to found a state or a kingdom, either by being the progenitors of the people proposing it, or by political measures, or by strengthening it. In short, what Mr. Plummer said was that any of the works that man is basically involved in is vain and meaningless when that man does what he does in only his own strength. Oh, beloved, do you really understand that if you build a house or if you seek to accomplish anything large or small that you have done in your own strength, that is, in your own effort, and in your own effort will then be vain? Now, the text tells us that we are to understand the source of meaningful accomplishment. The point that is being made is that we can be ever so energetic, and we can be ever so careful in our labors. But unless the Lord blesses our labors, they will all be for naught. Our labors might be building a house, or it might be purchasing a house, or it may be standing and raising a family, or it might be seeking after a profession or vocation. Clearly implied in all we stated reality is that our labors will have a glorious accomplishment only if the Lord blesses our endeavors. If the Lord does choose to bless those endeavors, they will be successful beyond our wildest dreams. This is what makes any accomplishment meaningful. That is, our labors have real meaning again only when the Lord blesses our endeavors and causes them to prosper. Trust in the Lord is not something that we do only at the point of conversion. But three times in the New Testament quotes the Old Testament when it says, as the writer does in Romans 1 verse 17, quote, for in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, but the righteous man shall live by faith. O Beloved, the Scripture is teaching us that Jehovah God's people are supposed to live by faith day by day and moment by moment and thus by trusting in the Lord. Otherwise, our work is defined as eating the bread of sorrows, that is, bread that was produced only out of sorrow and resulting only in sorrow. Don't you understand, beloved? The psalmist said that, again, in verses one and two, one more time. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it. Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to raise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors. O beloved, the text tells us that there is a blessed result for the people of God. There is a result for the people of God who live by faith and who trust in the Lord in everything that they do. That is exactly what the psalmist was saying in verse 2, quote, for he gives to his beloved even in his sleep. The blessed result is that God blesses the labors of the person who truly lives by faith day by day and moment by moment. even while he sleeps. And in fact, God even gives such a man a blessed sleep. Such a man understands that his chief end truly is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. And so such a man truly trusts the Lord. And he knows what the hymnist wrote with these words that we talked about a moment ago, what error his God ordains is right. Hope you've liked that. If you use that with my was the pastor there, but again, I know you've sung all we've been told that from your pastor, but let's look again one more time at the meaning that you see here in verse 31. Don't want to read the whole thing or anything, but just to give your thinking, since it's come out from the very meaning of the script of the psalm, just to read it one more time, maybe sound. Whatever my God ordains is right. His holy will abideth. I will be still, whate'er he doth, and follow there he guideth. He is my God through dark and road. He holds me that I still not fall. Wherefore to him I leave it all. What a glorious hymn there. Enjoy it, I hope. Oh beloved, what a glorious comfort that produces, such a confidence, and what a glorious blessing that comes from such trust. There are many Christians who are so terribly concerned about how things are going to turn out. And their constant care sometimes sounds many times like this, what things go well for me today? Or what things go the way I want them to work today? Oh, beloved, the scriptures tell us that if we really trust the Lord, he will bless us. This is what the Old Testament tells us again in Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6. One more time. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding in all your ways. Acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Love it, this is again what the Old Testament tells us in Matthew 6 verse 33, quote, Well, that's the first point. Here's the second point. And the second point is the illustration of trusting Yahweh. And now we're looking at verses 3 through 5. The text teaches us to understand Jehovah God's gracious gift. Now the psalmist turned to a particular of great importance of that day in which he wrote about having children and of leading a family. This text teaches us that those believing travelers knew, knew that children were a glorious blessing from the Lord. And that is what verse three says, quote, behold, children are a gift of the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Unlike the world of our day, children are not to be seen as a necessary evil or as a burden that has to be borne. Oh beloved, children are indeed to be seen as a precious gift from Jehovah, that is again Yahweh. The children are to be seen as a reward that Jehovah God gives to us. Children are not to be seen as the result of careful planning. They are like a stewardship given to us to be carefully guided and trained. That is, covenant children are to be raised up in the instruction and in the discipline of the Lord. One very important way for parents to guide and train their covenant children is to remember and to fulfill the baptismal vows, that is, to pray with and to pray for your children. Oh, beloved, another very important way for parents to guide and to train their covenant children is to instruct your children by the word of God every day and in every action of the day. This is the way that Moses taught parents to train their children in Deuteronomy 6 verse 7, quote, you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. How often are you to buy up the opportunity to teach Jehovah God's word to your children. That passage tells you, beloved, that you are to teach your children when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. In other words, you should buy up every opportunity you have to teach Jehovah God's Word to your children throughout the day. Oh, wait a minute. Do you have to do that every moment of every day? And of course, the answer is no. But your responsibility is to see that your child is taught in a godly way in the Christian school, in this church, and in your family. Here is a totally different thought. that is another teaching of Jehovah God in Ephesians. God's word teaches us this way in Ephesians 6 verse 4, quote, fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Someone may discipline a child an easy way one day, but then someone may discipline a child a very hard way on the next day. What do you think that that means? Dr. Jay Adams said that that means that parents, and maybe especially fathers, are to be consistent in the discipline of your children. O beloved covenant children, our very special gifts that Jehovah God entrusts to you, that we can prepare them to take their place as the next generation even of this church and its leadership. But to receive that gift properly and to train that gift correctly, beloved, we must learn to trust in the Lord and not in our own wisdom and by our own abilities. If we train up our children in our own strength and in our own wisdom, then too, We prove to be, quote, vanity of vanities, says the preacher. Vanity of vanities, all is vanities. Later on, verse 14 again. And behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. Now, the text teaches us to properly understand Jehovah God's ultimate gift. Jehovah God's ultimate gift is a house that God gave to his son and his mediatorial accomplish upon the cross. Oh, beloved, Jesus told the apostles and us that God would give to him all the members of the kingdom of God as John 6, 37 says, quote, all that the father gives me will come to me. and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out." Again, beloved, this is a way that Jesus told the apostles, and us, in a different way, that Jehovah God gave his Son a house. In John 17, verse 2, it even says, quote, Even as you gave him authority over all flesh, that to all whom you have given him, he may give eternal life. Finally, there's another way that Jesus told the apostles and us about Jehovah God's ultimate gift to his son. In John 17 verse 24, Jesus said, Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me. Be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me above the foundation of the world." But even these words of Jesus, beloved, remind us that the salvation of our God is a matter of grace, and that salvation of our God is not a matter of works. It was Paul who wrote that assurance of salvation by grace in 2 Timothy 1 verse 9 that says, quote, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which has granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. And once again, Paul has told us that our salvation is a matter of grace and not a matter of works. In Ephesians 2 8 verse 10 says, quote, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Salvation, beloved, must be properly understood to be by grace through faith. Our works do not accomplish any bit of our own salvation. Oh, beloved, the words of the hymn, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, is indeed the only plea of the sinner who has been awakened to the terrible plight in which he is because of his sin. Now, we could spend a little bit more of that same hymn, which is in hymn four. 57, which is, Jesus, thy blood and righteousness. Glorious to see, again, in the certain meaning here. Jehovah's ultimate gift to his son is the house that he is building for him. That is, that spiritual house which is being made up in living stones. Only as he builds the house is there anything at all accomplished by the labors of his people. But God has promised to use our unabiding efforts to accomplish that sublime end. of building his church against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. O beloved, the Jehovah God's ultimate goal to us is to be called the children of God, to be forgiven, and to participate in all of the blessings of the covenant. Now the church teaches us to understand the marvelous blessing. Here is the greatest question of exegesis in this passage that the psalmist wrote. You'll see it in verse five. It says, quote, they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Here's the question. Who does the word they refer to in this verse? Some would have that word refer to the children. Some would understand that that word is referring to the parents. there is still another idea that the they are similar to the enemies. That is, the idea is that there are other Jews who are having their cases adjudicated by the Idril elders, excuse me, of Israel. Let us suffice to say, beloved, that I believe that it is the children who have been properly reared to care for and to defend their pious parents, and so the children are never ashamed in their caring for their parents and defending their parents. So there is also a spiritual application, and that application is found in Romans 5, verses 3 through 5. Again, quote, and not only this, But we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who was given to us As we make this arduous ascent up to the celestial city that is the heavenly Jerusalem, the church will ultimately be victorious. This is the glorious assurance about the vicarious church. As Jesus said again in Matthew 16, 18, quote, I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Well, that's the second point. Here's a conclusion. Beloved, the trust exhibited by those in the ascent is an all-compassing trust. It is a trust that begins with confusion. Get back up, hang it again. It is a trust that begins with conversion. but grows and embraces every aspect of the believer's walk. That is, every true believer is learning to walk by faith, and every true believer is learning to never trust himself or his own works. Oh, beloved. When you trust Jesus every day by day and every moment by moment, such trust will never be ashamed. Once again, this is what the writer said in Proverbs 3, verse 5, 6. So good, so important. Three times, I think, in this sermon. Let me just conclude it again one more time. Proverbs 3, verses 5 and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Let's pray. Father, teach us more and more that every true believer must not do in his own strength or we will then be empty, meaningless, and vain. Teach us to truly trust you, all that we do. Further, Father, teach every true believer how to teach your children, and they must be taught in a godly way. In the Christian school, in this church, and in our families. Amen and amen.